Lavender - {G.B}

cinq

Alice woke up in a bed that wasn't hers. Her head ached as she began to sit up. She looked around the room, only finding a chair beside her and a dresser. She slowly stood up from the bed, walking up to the window. Outside, it was as if it were an ocean in Alice's mind. The tall grass blowing in the wind.

"You're up, how are you feeling?" Alice turned around to meet the boy who set a tray of food and water at the bedside. "You passed out so I brought you here. Must have been tired. It's been a few days and you were quite dehydrated."

Alice groaned, thinking why Gilbert wouldn't let her be. She grabbed her sweater and checked the pockets for her pendant, but Alice couldn't find it.

"Looking for this?" Gilbert held her pendant in his hands. He had taken it off her when he brought her home.

"Gilbert Blythe, you give it back! You shouldn't take what's not yours." Alice tried to reach for it, but due to her height, she couldn't.

"Tell me a secret, then I'll give it back," Gilbert proposed.

"I have no time for your games, Gilbert." Alice tried to reach his hand but he held it up high above his head.

"Tell me where you got those bruises," he said.

"Alright, " Alice gave in. "After my father got into the accident, my mother went to town to help keep this family on its feet. She met George and came home one day. Over the summer, when my mother was gone, he'd abuse me and made me feel like I shouldn't be alive. I only dealt with it since my mother would come back. It was worse than what Billy and the rest of the class would do. Now give it back." Alice was in an upset mood. She felt as if she would break down, but she shed enough tears.

Gilbert was processing everything in his head. He had noticed the girl's rather red face often and her few bruises on her body. He dropped his hand and gave her the pendant.

"But your mother is still in town, isn't she?" Gilbert asked, following Alice to the kitchen.

"She's going to be gone for a long while. I don't need to tell you another thing I want to keep hidden," Alice told him, locking the pendant around her neck.

-

Alice rubbed her hand against her arm, keeping her warm. She walked up to her house as the men were building it back up. Alice reluctantly stayed at Blythe's home, helping Gilbert with his ill father when he was away. Alice felt what Gilbert could be feeling since it happened to her.

Alice hadn't got to thank anyone for their help putting out the fire and building up her home. She set a basket of cookies on the table for the men.

"Alice, how are you feeling?" the Minister asked her, taking a cookie.

"I'm doing quite all right. Thank you... for everything you and everyone have done." Alice smiled gratefully.

"Yes, no problem, dear."

"Afternoon, Minister. Alice, I hope you're doing well. I am so terribly sorry about your house. I hope your mother and father are all right as well." Anne held a basket in her hands. Ruby nudged her. Anne looked down at her, confused.

"Her father died," Ruby whispered to her, but Alice heard it.

"Oh, I am so sorry. I didn't know, I swear. Well, I'm learning to bake. Would you care for a scone?" Anne asked, grabbing a scone from her basket. "As an apology?"

"Oh, I don't mind if I do," the Minister chuckled, taking a scone into his other hand.

"Thank you." Alice took one from her. Though Alice had food to her disposal, she didn't want to be a burden to the Blythes. She also didn't want people to pity her. Perhaps that's why no one knew about her mother's death just yet. George wanted to drink himself out of oblivion and Alice didn't want people pitying her since both parents of hers have died, technically, making her an orphan.